Phonograph record player spindle



Feb, l2, 3957 R. c. cARLsoN 2,781,198

PHONOGRAPH RECORD PLAYER SPINDLE REL/BEN Y c. CARL 50N Feb. 12, 1957 R.c. CARLSON P HoNosRAPH RECORD PLAYER SPINDLE: original Filed July 29,m48

3 Sheets-Sheet 2 R51/BEN c CAR! so/v @'77 vt E v Hlll" WHITE" UnitedStates Patent .-PHONO GRAPH RECQRD 1PL4YER1 IReubenCJCarlsonRiyerGroveflll., assrgnor to Admiral h2(2orpcuratirm,fChicago,-f1ll.,vacorporation oDelaware 1-T9418.: Divide-ii' .and .aiipcation- .August,8, .19.51, YSerial .NO- .240,221 ul'Ihis'inventiongpertainstophonograph record changers, fandparticularly-topa spindleor a-recorlchanger-adapted to-guide a record inagpath'determined'bythespindle. Thisapplicationgis a division of my-co-pendingpplica- -tion,= Ser.No.41,388jledlulyf29, 1948. 11n. a recordchangenofthe type ydis losedin my -afore- `said application -where therecords are transferredA ysingly from a record magazine to a turntable,vitis necessary that-the -record be properlyV centered onl the turntable,by a carrier means. -Heretofore, inthis-type of changer, ithasbeencustomary to transport gherecQi-ds throngh -an `arcuate-path bymeans vof a carrier-'pivted at one edge, which receives arecordfrom themagazine and `carries it to;the-turntab1e. This typew of"devic,e -posi-tioned therecord by-engagen1ent offpars"or-thelikewith theperiphery@ffmc-records. jg'Ihus; it Awaspossible to 'fplayrecordsof'only one-sizeat any givenvtin'ne.

j-By my invention, lrlamabletok play-rcords-'of intermiXed-sizes. 'Thisis accomplishedY by use of aentral -spindle toA guider-the yrecordsin apredetermined path by engagement ofthespindle with the bcenter hole'inthe record. The spindle is -preferablyfformedrwith a, particularrate-of'curvature and has a novel construction vtov inhibit-vibrationsof -audible frequencywhich wonld cause undesirable noise during thechangingnof thelrecord. A- more complete understanding ofmy inventionmay be had by referenceV to the'accompanyingdrawings and followingdescription-'which are parts of this specification.

Fig. 1 is apartial sectional-view ofarecord changer taken -on the-centerline of `the --turntableshowing 'my novel spindlein one embodiment;

Fig. V2 is an enlarged sectional -view similar-torlf'ig. 1 of the baseof the spindle; Fig. 3 is a` side lelevational View of one formeof thespindle;

Fig. 4 is an enlarged partial'elevational view-of the VspindleeshowninFig. 3,1parts being broken Vaway to show the mode of; attachment ofaislide part;

Fig. 5 is asectiona l..viewffrom line'5;-`5 of iPig. 4; Fig. 6 Visane-,enlarged partial view similar .to Fig.. 4 of kan lalternative -typeof spindle;

Eig 7 is an enlarged lsectional'vviewfrom line 7&7 of Fig. 6; and

Pigs. S and 9 areviews similarto Fig. 7 from lines 8-.-8 and9:9-respectively of Fig. 6. l .As morefully described in theparent'applicatiomSer. No. 41,388qiledluly 2.9, 1,948, of whichjhisisaidiriSQn, ,mi/.recordChangerinludes a maeazinemeans 6 including a basewhich Supports. thebottQm-.edswf the records; aprop member 99 ,heldV inspaced relation to thebase by Yaside bracketlQI, which supports theupper edges ofthe records in a leaning position; and a side member #ilat the ibase to prevent `'the records from sliding V-otl'- thefbasemember. .The records are f removed from the magazine by means fullydescribed-fin -my afore said application. A'Fortne purposeJof--the`present ap- -plieation,; theprocessmay. be -describedeasfrfollowsz la2,781,198 Ice Fegtentetl Feb.

The records vRareraised-singly Vover the edge 4:4, of

wthemember 4`1-andnare dropped onto flangedd pins -47 -on levers 45.These pins are vcarried to their `V upward or record (receiving positionby means nothere shown, and then afterA receiving the recordare lowered.jlQuring the lowering of the record, it slides away frornvthe propmember 99 and-tilts, free -of any lateral support,"'11ntil it engagesthe end 49 of-thefspindle S. VFurther Vlower- Ving of the record-causesthe center hole of the record YVto benthreadedoverthe-spindle. From-this point, the rrecord is lowered .-to-the turntable T by a loweringmechanism including aapf50 lfixed t0, a cross beam S1 which in yturnispivptedpto a lateral'niember 57 by a pin A11752 vlocated atatransverse axislSZ (Fig. 3). This mechanism'is operatedvby means, notshown here, to be raised whenthefrecord'isfin position to engagethe,spindle and then-robe-loweredwith-therecord until the recordliesinplaceonthe`turntab1e. ltwill be sehen, however, that while-the ap 5 0carries ythe record, the spindle is4 guiding it,and thereforerthe outerdiameter of the record is lcompletely immaterial and records of any sizecan tbe Aat;cornmoda'ted beca-use o f the center hole rather thanLtheperiplieral edge as a` guide.

' Y"lheturntable T is mounted on the base plate 55 which in turn is:fixed to the side Vmembers 5 7. A bearing bracketor frame=199 is xed tothe base plate 55 b- `neath'an aperture 198. Bearing bushings 207 and216 Yarepressed -into this braket andf provide ubearings for-a--t-ubularv'shaft Ziilto'which the turntable is iiried.-suitablethrust bearing -217 cushioned in felt washers 218and'219- isengaged 'between the hub 2 04 of vthe turntable and the top-of the-frame4199` (Fig. f2). A pinion 262 is alsoxed to the shaft 296 anddrives operating -mechanism Vnot important to the invention hereindescribed butffully 4described in my `co-pending application. A boss212, on the bottom member 21? ofthe frame 199, is Vformed with a bore213 for the reception of one -end'of the spindle S.

Novel 4freatures are incorporated in the spindle S (Fig. 2). Yltincludes three essential portions namely, ay base `portion 229, which isreceived in the bore 213 and where it isrigidly and adjustably held by aset screw 231, an intermediate or record engaging portion 232 adapted tolextend throughthe center'hole of a record while the same is Vsupportedby the turntable T and a guide portion or cam portion 233 which isadapted Ato guide the center hole of the record into engagement with theplaying portion. As will be noted, the base portion 229 so'r' reduced`diameter with .respect to the intermediatev portion 232 and yalso ofdiameter less than the internal diameter lof the sleeve 266 yso thatsaidbase portion, throughout its length, is segregated from vibrationslfor lateral play of the shaft 236. lso to this end, ashoulder234-at'the -base of the intermediate portion ,232Uismadditionally spacedslightly from the turntable T. The diameter of the guide portion233 isless than the-diameter of the intermediate portion for a ypurpose whichwill be explained hereinafter. ln addition, the surface of the guideportion 233 is of mirror-like ni-sh, itfbeingpjreferably plated withchromium and polished so lthat 'the spindle may offer little friction tothe passagevof records thereover. lf desired, the gnide portion 2373Vandhtlgre remainder of the spindle may bernade intwo sections, Yasindicate@ thelower end of the guide portion being fitted in a bore 236,in the intermediate pontionf which the bore is coaxial. two parts of thespindle are, -of course, rigidlyY held togethervand thisis 4a con- Y 1 3portion 232 the guide portion 233 curves rather abruptly at 238 (Fig. l)to more gentle curvilinear portion 239 into which the curvature 238blends. In turn, the curvilinear section 239 is blended into thestraight section 48 by a more abrupt curved section 241. Toward thevfree end 49, the spindle mayralso includea section 242 which is taperedwith the aim' of improving the recordengaging quality of the spindle.The centerline of section 242, at least, isV in the vertical, medialplane dened by the axes of the center holes of the records as they aremoved vertically when supported by the pins 47.

In operation, when the records were allowed to slide by gravity over apartVof the straight section 48, it was found that some records produceda squeaking noise due to friction with the surfaces of the spindle whichcaused it to vibrate at a high frequency.V I have found that ,thistrouble can be avoided by use of a slender rib 243 disposed on theupper'side of the section 48. A convenient manner in which the rib 243may be provided is shown in Fig. 4 wherein holes 244, slanting inopposite directions in Vthe upper side of the section 48, are adapted toreceive therein, the two ends of a section wire. The wire 246includesvanchorate portions 247 which are deflected to only a suicientdegree beyond their elastic limit to permit their insertion in the holes244, from which they are resistant to removal by virtue of theirtendency to straighten, and thereby cause that part of the wire betweenthe holes to hug the surface of the spindle. Although, as shown in Figs.3 and 4, the wire may lie close to the spindle, in actual practice Vitis found that the wire may be spaced from the spindle. This is moreclearly shown in Figs. 6 to 9 inclusive. Herein I have shown a groove510 which extends from the portion 48, along the spindle, including theslanting part'242 to the end 49 thereof. This groove is 0f varyvingdepth, being deepest at the end toward the section 48 and uniformlydecreasing in depth toward the end of the spindle being shallowest at511 which is slightly spaced from the junction point of the conicalsection with the Yend of the point 49. It then increases in depth fromthe point 242a to the end of the spindle. The groove, as can best beseen in Fig. 7, is slightly wider Vthan the wire 512. The wire 512 maybe secured in the -groove as indicated at 513 by brazing, soldering, or

staking. At the extremity of the spindle, the wire is vpreferablysecured by staking as indicated at 514. Due to the inclination of thepart 242, this has a tendency to bow the wire out of the groove. Becausethe wire may move sidewise in the groove, any tendency to vibrate is ina frequency beyond the audible range.

Y The shape of the spindle S is critical insofar as the diameter,curvature and slant of the guideportion 233 are concerned. To understandthe reasons for this, it should primarily be recognized that the size ofrecords which are to be reproduced are of a substantially predeterminedsize, namely, ten kand twelve inches in diameter. In a console style ofradio-phonograph cabinet, of average size, the space is rather limited.Therefore, where the foregoing principle of manipulating a record isinvolved; that is, the principle of transferring a record, by meansincluding a bent spindle from a substantially vertical to a horizontalposition, one of the problems was that of making it possible for arecord to slide freely over the curved surface without sticking. Thiswas due Yto conditions which Vwill be understood by reference to Fig. 3.Ther-ein it will be noted that from a point where the center hole of arecord becomes initially engaged by the section 48, the axis of therecord swings increasingly away from coaxial relationship with the axisof the spindle until the record approaches the axis ofY the intermediateportion 232, when the axis of the record swings back'toward and nallyinto substantially coaxial relationship to the axis of the spindle. ltwill therefore be understood that the farther the axis ofthe records ofwire 246 of a resilient nature, such as steel piano 4 swingsY out ofalignment with the axis of the spindle, the nearer the edges definingvthe center hole of the record approach the axis of the spindle, andconsequently approach opposite sides `of the spindle. Of necessity, thediameter of the guide portion 233 had to be made less than the diameterof the intermediate portion 232. This involved sacrilcing rigidity ofthe spindle, a desirable quality due to the length of the same.Accordingly, it was ascertained that the diameter of the guide portion233 could be increased to a maximum if the axis of the curved portionthereof defined a logarithmic curve, for the greater part of its length.Therefore, from a radius, beginning at the vertical part of the axis,the logarithmic curved portion of the axis continues to the axis of theinclined, straight section 48 into which it blends. To construct thecurved part of the axis it should rst be assumed that, with respect tothe horizontal axis 52, the end 49 bears a definite vertical and lateralrelationship; also that the axis ofthe section 48 slants downwardly fromthe end 49. The inclination from the horizontal is only just enough toprovide for motion by gravity of a record over the section 48 in view ofthe friction oiered to passage of the record by the spindle. Preferably,the section 4S is inclined at an angle of about 25 degrees from ahorizontal. n Through a point M, the approximate point where thecurvature begins, and the axis 52 of the Vliap F a straight line isdrawn.V At an angle of 1 degree, counterclockwise from a line N52,perpendicular to the line M52, a straight line p52 i-s drawn. Then theline p52 is divided into equalpsrections indicated by the points p',pf', p", etc., and straight lines are drawn through each of these pointsparallel to line M52 and intersecting a straight continuation of theaxis of section 48 at points M', M", M", etc.Y Then with a radius M'pand the axis52 as a center, an arc a is struck transversely of line Mp.Another arc havingY a radius M'M is struck Vabout M and intersecting therst arc.

The point of intersection of the arcs is on the logarithmic curvedportion of the spindle. Another point on this arc is found as follows:Using M"p" as a radius and 52 as a center, an arc is struck transverselyof line M" which arc is intersected by another arc drawn about M ascenter and MM as a radius. Additional intersecting arcs drawn about Mwith radius M"-M and with radius M"'p circumscribed about 52,respectively, thus provide points through which a line is drawn by theassistance of a French curve until it reaches theY proximity of theintermediate portion 232 where the logarithmic curve is joined to avertical line representing the vertical portion of the spindles axis byVa radius of convenient length.

Although a spindle which includes a logarithmic curvature between theportions 48 and 232 provides an ideal contour due to uniformity of spacebetween the sides of the spindle and walls of the center hole of arecord when said record is slid over the spindle as described, there areother means of generating a suitable curved portion. For example, it wasfound by test that two or Y more suitable radii, drawn aboutappropriately-located centers, could be used to approximate thelogarithmic curvature.

Thus, it is apparent that I have provided a spindle particularly adaptedfor the purpose of guiding records in a predetermined path from amagazine to a turntable, both because of its particular form and becauseof the unique slide member which served to damp the vibration caused bya sliding record. It will be apparent to those skilled in the art thatthe exact shape of the spindle and extent of the slide bar are notcritical and that approximate shapes and varying lengths of bar may beused without exceeding the scope of the invention as described in thefollowing claims.

Having thus described my invention, I am aware that numerous andextensive departures may be made there-V from without departing from thespirit or scope of my invention.

I claim:

1. A phonograph record changer spindle for a record player wherein amagazine is provided at one side of the turntable and means is providedfor moving records of diierent sizes out of the magazine toward theturntable and the record is guided into the tturntable by the spindlesaid spindle adapted to be stationarily secured at the axis of aturntable and having a record guiding portion extending in angularrelation to one side of the turntable, and means on said spindle forslidable engagement with a record lto prevent the record from vibratingthe spindle in its passage thereover in the audible frequency rangecomprising a rib formed in the spindle and extending longitudinallythereon.

2. A phonograph record changer spindle for a record player wherein amagazine is provided at one side of the turntable and means is providedfor moving records of different sizes out of the magazine toward theturntable and the record is guided into the turntable by the spindlesaid spindle adapted to be stationarily secured at the axis of aturntable and having a record guiding portion extending in angularrelation to one side of the turntable, and means on said spindle forslidable engagement with a record to prevent the record from vibratingthe spindle in its passage thereover in the audible frequency rangecomprising a rib formed in the spindle and extending longitudinallythereon extending above the surface ofthe spindle.

3. A phonograph record changer spindle for a record player wherein amagazine is provided at one side of the turntable and means is providedfor moving records of different sizes out of the magazine toward theturntable and the record is guided into the turntable by the spindlesaid spindle adapted to be stationarily secured at the axis of a.turntable and having a record guiding portion extending in angularrelation to one side of the turntable, and means on said spindle forslidable engagement with a record to prevent the record from vibratingthe spindle in its passage thereover in the audible frequency rangecomprising a wire member secured to the upper surface of the spindle andextending longitudinally along the spindle from a point near the end toa point spaced from the end.

4. A phonograph record changer spindle for a record player wherein amagazine is provided at one side of the turntable and means is providedfor moving records of different sizes out of the magazine toward theturntable and the record is guided into the turntable by the spindlesaid spindle adapted to be stationarily secured at the axis of aturntable and having a record guiding portion extending in angularrelation to one side of the turntable, and means on said spindle forslidable engagement With a record to prevent the record from vibratingthe spindle in its passage thereover in the audible frequency range,comprising a wire secured at its ends to the spindle and movable by theweight of a rcord relative to the spindle.

5. A phonograph record spindle for a record player wherein a magazine isprovided at one side of the turntable and means is provided for movingrecords of different sizes out of the magazine toward the turntable andthe record is guided into the turntable by the spindle said spindleadapted to be secured in a stationary manner at the axis of a turntableand having a portion extending upwardly and curved to extend to one sideof the turntable for guiding records onto the turntable, means toprevent the vibration of the spindle in the audible frequency rangecomprising a longitudinally extending groove in the upper surface of thespindle extending from the free end of the spindle to a point spacedfrom the end and a wire disposed in said groove and secured in at leastone end in the groove.

6. A phonograph record spindle for a record player wherein a magazine isprovided at one side of the turntable and means is provided for movingrecords of different sizes out of the magazine toward the turntable andthe record lis guided into the Vvturntable by the spindle said spindleadapted to be secured in a stationary manner at the axis of a turntableand having a portion extending upwardly and curved to extend to one sideof the turntable for guiding records onto the turntable, means toprevent the vibration of the spindle in the audible irequency rangecomprising a longitudinally extending groove in the upper surface of thespindle extending from the free end of ythe spindle to a point spacedfrom the end and a wire disposed in said groove and secured on at leastone end in the groove, said Wire being movable in said groove by theWeight of a record to be guided by the spindle.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNlTED STATES PATENTS1,725,237 Wierth Aug. 20, 1929 1,807,073 Schulz May 26, 1931 2,295,092Oen Sept. 8, 1942 2,371,361 Small Mar. 13, 1945 FOREIGN PATENTS 403,353Great Britain Oct. 11, 1932

